Card stacking mechanism

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for stacking cards including a fixed guide plate partially around the periphery of a rotating drum for directing cards fed between the guide plate and the drum about the drum into a receiving tray. The mechanism includes a belt extending around the drum and around a pulley on an arm biased to urge the belt portion on the pulley toward the tray to propel cards discharged from the guide plate to a stacked condition against an end wall of the tray.

United States Patent 1 Martin June 19, 1973 CARD STACKING MECHANISM 3,051,333 8/1962 Ruchert et al. 214 7 [75] Inventor: Lloyd w. Martin, Minneapolis, 3,682,473 8/1972 Kuyt 2l4/7 X Minn.

Primary ExaminerR0bert J. Spar [73] Asslgnee figzzi az lr z gi zgi St Paul Attorney-Kinney, Alexander, Sell, Steldt & Delahunt y! 1 Minn.

[22] Filed: Jan. 12, 1972 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 217,125 A mechanism for stacking cards including a fixed guide plate partially around the periphery of a rotating drum for directing cards fed between the guide plate and the Mrs/675312391422 drum about the drum into a receiving tray- The mecha Fieid 6 G 6 nism includes a belt extending around the drum and e 87 1, around a pulley on an arm biased to urge the belt portion on the pulley toward the tray to propel cards discharged from the guide plate to a stacked condition [56] UNITE S ;T; E S ENTS against an end wall of the tray.

2,012,561 8/1935 Grupe 271/87 X 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 CARD STACKING MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ally, a card stacking mechanism according to the present invention may be constructed to stack cards in an orientation disposed at up to and exceeding 180 from the orientation in which the cards are fed to the mechanism. Thus, a card stacking mechanism according to the present invention may be adapted to provide an advantageously positioned stack of cards from cards fed to the stacking mechanisms from one of many orientations by a card handling mechanism.

According to the present invention there is provided a card stacking mechanism useful for forming a stack of cards from a plurality of cards fed seriatim to the mechanism. The mechanism includes a drum formed with two axially spaced radially extending flanges adapted to frictionally engage a card. A guide means extends partially around the drum for maintaining frictional driving .force between the periphery of the flanges and a card positioned between the guide means and the drum as the drum is rotated to drive a card from an inlet toward a discharge end of the guide means. The stacking mechanism includes stack forming means having a stacking surface intersecting, at an angle of less than 45, an imaginary plane tangent to the periphery of the drum at the discharge end of the guide means. This line of intersection is spaced less than the length of a card from the discharge end of the guide means. The stack forming means also includes stop means spaced along the stacking surface less than the length of a card from the line of intersection and adapted for engagement by an end of the cards to stop and position the card along the stacking surface.

The stacking mechanism also includes means for driving a card discharged from the guide means into stacked relationship on the forming means. These means include a belt extending around the drum between the flanges and around a pulley rotatably mounted on the distal end of an arm mounted for pivotal motion about the axis of the drum. The arm is moved against the bias of a spring away from a position with a portion of the belt on the pulley in contact with the stacking surface adjacent the line of intersection as a stack of cards is formed between the belt and the stacking surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein like numbers refer to like parts in the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a card stacking mechanism according to the present invention showing the top, front, and right side with certain portions broken away;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the card stacking mechanism of FIG. 1 partially in section; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing there is shown a card stacking mechanism according to the present invention generally designated by the numeral 10. As illustrated the mechanism 10 is adapted to accept cards fed seriatim to the mechanism at an inlet 12 between a rotating drum 14 and a curved guide plate 16 and to drive each card between the guide plate 16 and the drum into forming means or a tray 18 for forming a stack of cards 20 (FIG. 2). Each card discharged from the guide plate 16 is driven to a stacked position abutting a stop means or surface 22 on an end wall 24 of the tray 18 and the stack is pressed into contact with a stacking surface 26 on the tray 18 by means including an O-ring belt 27 extending around the drum l4, and around a pulley 28 rotatably mounted on the distal end of an arm 30 biased by a biasing means or a spring 32 to urge the portion of the belt 27 on the pulley 28 toward the stacking surface 26.

The drum 14 includes a shaft 34 rotatably mounted on a frame 36 for the machine 10, and is driven clockwise as illustrated during' operation of the mechanism 10 by drive means including a pulley and drive belt assembly 38 coupled between the shaft 34 and a drive motor 40. The drum 14 includes a generally cylindrical hub 42 formed about its circumference with an axially centered semi-circular groove 44 sized for driving engagement with the O-ring belt 27. The drum 14 also includes two axially spaced radially extending flanges 46 each formed of a compressible foam rubber strip attached around the hub 42. Thus the peripheral surfaces 48 of the flanges 46 are adapted for frictional driving contact with a card. The flanges extend radially of the hub 42 a sufficient distance providing clearance between the O-ring belt 27 and a card contacting the peripheral surfaces 48 of the flanges 46. 7

As illustrated, the drum 14 is especially adapted for engaging microfilm aperture cards of the type 7.375 inches long by 3.250 inches wide by 0.007 inches thick and carrying a standard microfilm insert with its width centered in the width of the card adjacent one end thereof. The flanges 46 are axially spaced apart to avoid contact with the microfilm insert, and the diameter of the drum 16 is large (preferably above 4 inches) to prevent excessive curving of aperture cards stacked by the mechanism 10.

Guide means including the curved guide plate 16 affords a frictional driving force between the peripheral surfaces 48 of the flanges 46 and a card positioned between the guide plate 16 and the drum 14. The guide plate 16, which may extend over degrees about the drum 14, is attached to the frame 36 only at a discharge end 52 of the guide plate 16 along an extending mem-.

ber 50. A uniformly curved surface 54 of the guide plate 16 is coated to facilitate relative movement of a card, as by Teflon" and is biased against the peripheral surfaces 48 by a spring 56 attached to a tab 58 projecting from the guide plate 16 to press a card therebetween into frictional driving contact with the flanges 46. A lip 60 extends from an inlet end 62 of the guide plate 16 to guide cards fed to the inlet 12 of the mechanism between the guide plate 16 and the flanges 46. When the mechanism is adapted for stacking microfilm aperture cards, the curved guide plate 16 might be relieved in the area adjacent which the microfilm insert moves along the guide plate 16 to prevent contact between the guide plate 16 and the microfilm insert. It has, however, been found that it is not necessary to relieve the guide plates 16 to avoid marring the microfilm. Apparently as the aperture card is curved in passing around the drum 14, the microfilm insert is bowed and moves into the space between the flanges 46, thereby restricting contact between the microfilm and the guide plate 16.

The tray 18 included in the forming means includes a wall 64 defining the stacking surface 26. The tray 18 is positioned so that the stacking surface 26 intersects at an angle of less than 45 an imaginary plane tangent to the peripheral surface 48 of the flanges 46 at the end of the plate 16 defining the discharge end 52. This line of intersection is spaced less than the length of a card from the discharge end 52 of the guide plate 16 so that the leading end of a card discharged from the guide plate 16 will be deflected along the stacking surface 26, or along an existing stack 20, toward the end wall 24 of the tray 18.

The means for driving cards discharged from the discharge end 52 of the guide plate 16 into a stacked relationship on the stacking surface 26 of the tray 18 with an end of each card abutting the surface 22 of the end wall 24 includes means for separating cards from the flanges 46, for continually urging the card adjacent the O-ring belt 27 into contact with the surface 22, and for pressing cards in the stack 20 against the stacking surface 26 to afford a vertical orientation of the stack 20.

The O-ring belt 27 extends from a point on the drum generally at the discharge end 52 of the guide plate 16 to the pulley 38 which is spaced less than the length of a card from the drum 16 by the length of the arm 30. The length of the arm 30 positions the portion of the belt 27 on the pulley 38 adjacent the line of intersection of the aforementioned imaginary plane with the stacking surface 26. A card leaving the discharge end 52 of the guide plate 16 is separated from the flanges 46 by the belt 27, and because of the length of the card and the angle of the stacking surface 26 is driven under the belt 27 on the pulley 28 and is then driven by the belt 27 along the stacking surface 26 or stack 20 to the surface 22 which surface is spaced less than the length of a card from the pulley 28.

The belt 27 affords a high frictional driving force against a card under the biasing force of the spring 30. The belt 27 is loosely tensioned around the drum l4, pulley 28, and an idler pulley 66 rotatably mounted on the arm 30 so that after a card ejected from the guide plate 16 is driven by the belt 27 into contact with the surface 22, the belt 27 will stop and will not be driven by the hub 42 while the dynamic friction between the belt 27 and groove 44 is transferred through the belt to press the contacted card against the surface 22. Thus the card will not be damaged by relative movement of the belt 27. Alternatively but less preferably, the belt 27 might be tensioned to be continuously driven by the drum 14, but be formed of a material having a low coefficient of friction with the card, thereby restricting frictional damage to the cards by the moving belt 27.

The end of the arm 30 opposite the pulley 28 is mounted on the shaft 34 for pivotable motion of the arm 30 about the axis of the drum 14 from a first position with a portion of the belt 27 on the pulley 28 contacting the stacking surface 26, toward a second position against the bias of the spring 32 affording a stack 20 of cards between the belt 27 and the stacking surface 26 as cards are successively driven onto the stack 20. The spring 32 provides means for pressing the stack of cards 20 in a vertical position against the stacking surface 26.

Having thus described the present invention, what is claimed is:

l. A stacking mechanism useful for forming a stack of cards from a plurality of cards fed seriatim to said mechanism, comprising:

a frame;

a drum rotatably mounted on said frame said drum being formed with at least two axially spaced radially extending flanges each having a peripheral surface adapted to frictionally engage a said card;

guide means adapted for maintaining frictional driving force between the periphery of said flanges and a said card positioned between said guide means and said drum, said guide means extending around the periphery of said drum from an inlet end of said guide means formed to direct cards between said guide means and said drum, to a discharge end spaced about the periphery of said drum;

means for driving said drum for rotation from said inlet to said discharge end of said guide means;

forming means for forming a stack of said cards on said mechanism, comprising a stacking surface intersecting at an angle of less than 45 an imaginary plane tangent to the periphery of said drum at said discharge end of said guide means, with said intersection spaced less than the length of a said card from said discharge end, and stop means mounted along said stacking surface adapted for stopping movement of cards along said stacking surface, and spaced less than the length of a said card from said intersection; and

means for driving cards discharged from said discharge end of said guide means into a stacked relationship on said stacking surface with an end of said cards abutting said stop means, comprising;

a pulley;

a belt extending around said pulley and around said drum between said flanges;

an arm having a first end rotatably mounting said pulley and a second end spaced from said first end and mounted for pivotable motion about the axis of said drum to afford movement from a first position with a portion of the belt on said pulley contacting said stacking surface toward a second position to afford a stack of said cards between said belt and said stacking surface; and

biasing means for biasing said arm toward said first position.

2. A stacking mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said belt is adapted to afford a high frictional driving force against said card under the influence of said biasing means, and said belt is tensioned to afford relative movement between said belt and said drum when a said card contacting the portion of said belt on said pulley abuts said stop means.

spaced to contact a said microfilm aperture card with the microfilm carried on the aperture card positioned between said flanges.

5. A mechanism according to claim 4 wherein said guide means includes a uniformly curved guide plate positioned adjacent said flanges from said inlet to said discharge end of said guide means, said guide plate hav- 7 ing contiguity and being of sufficient width axially of said drum to contact both of said flanges. 

1. A stacking mechanism useful for forming a stack of cards from a plurality of cards fed seriatim to said mechanism, comprising: a frame; a drum rotatably mounted on said frame said drum being formed with at least two axially spaced radially extending flanges each having a peripheral surface adapted to frictionally engage a said card; guide means adaPted for maintaining frictional driving force between the periphery of said flanges and a said card positioned between said guide means and said drum, said guide means extending around the periphery of said drum from an inlet end of said guide means formed to direct cards between said guide means and said drum, to a discharge end spaced about the periphery of said drum; means for driving said drum for rotation from said inlet to said discharge end of said guide means; forming means for forming a stack of said cards on said mechanism, comprising a stacking surface intersecting at an angle of less than 45* an imaginary plane tangent to the periphery of said drum at said discharge end of said guide means, with said intersection spaced less than the length of a said card from said discharge end, and stop means mounted along said stacking surface adapted for stopping movement of cards along said stacking surface, and spaced less than the length of a said card from said intersection; and means for driving cards discharged from said discharge end of said guide means into a stacked relationship on said stacking surface with an end of said cards abutting said stop means, comprising; a pulley; a belt extending around said pulley and around said drum between said flanges; an arm having a first end rotatably mounting said pulley and a second end spaced from said first end and mounted for pivotable motion about the axis of said drum to afford movement from a first position with a portion of the belt on said pulley contacting said stacking surface toward a second position to afford a stack of said cards between said belt and said stacking surface; and biasing means for biasing said arm toward said first position.
 2. A stacking mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said belt is adapted to afford a high frictional driving force against said card under the influence of said biasing means, and said belt is tensioned to afford relative movement between said belt and said drum when a said card contacting the portion of said belt on said pulley abuts said stop means.
 3. A stacking mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said guide means includes a curved guide plate about a portion of the periphery of said flanges from said inlet to said discharge end, said guide plate being attached to said frame adjacent said discharge end, and biasing means for biasing said guide plate into contact with said flanges between said discharge and said inlet end.
 4. A mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said mechanism is adapted for stacking microfilm aperture cards with said drum formed with two flanges axially spaced to contact a said microfilm aperture card with the microfilm carried on the aperture card positioned between said flanges.
 5. A mechanism according to claim 4 wherein said guide means includes a uniformly curved guide plate positioned adjacent said flanges from said inlet to said discharge end of said guide means, said guide plate having contiguity and being of sufficient width axially of said drum to contact both of said flanges. 